Your elevator pitch is vital for sparking interest in what you or your organization does, and your written and verbal elevator pitches can align.
Your elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech designed to introduce yourself or promote your product or service. The name elevator pitch stems from its conciseness, tailored to a short elevator ride, typically lasting 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
My favorite technique to make your elevator pitch memorable is to throw in a vivid image, or Memory Dart, coined by the author of The Point, Steve Woodruff. It’s an easy-to-remember mind movie you can build to make an impression. Here’s mine as an example: I guide you to your keywords to beat the bots.
Looking at my LinkedIn profile headline, you will see alignment on that bot theme. So, your LinkedIn headline might be considered as your written elevator pitch. Your verbal pitch can be the exact phrasing or something different, but it can still align with your written version.
With clients who want to build their brand on LinkedIn, I typically include a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) after their title and/or keywords. I start using ChatGPT with the following prompt: “Write a unique selling proposition of under ten words for a person who [customize for the individual].”
I hit regenerate several times to see what else it might come up with and then incorporate my own ideas. The client can then align the verbal elevator pitch with their LinkedIn headline.
Aside from a LinkedIn headline, an elevator pitch can come in various other forms, including General, Sales, Investor, Job Interview, Question, Rhyming, Tagline, One-Sentence, Competitive, Product Launch, Networking, Nonprofit, Problem-Solution, Educational, Partnership, Subject Line, Twitter, and Pixar Pitch.
These pitches serve different purposes and cater to various audiences and situations, making them a versatile tool for communication.
The importance of an elevator pitch cannot be overstated, as it clarifies and communicates your value proposition or unique selling proposition, keeping it concise and compelling. For career success, networking is paramount, and having an impactful elevator pitch is critical to establishing who you are and what you bring to the table.
Knowing your audience is equally crucial. Different situations call for tailored pitches that adapt to the listener’s background and interests, whether they are familiar with your industry or not. Researching your audience and addressing their pain points and needs can make your pitch resonate and differentiate you effectively.
Elevator pitches can be delivered in various settings, from social gatherings to business meetings and job interviews. The hook is the starting point, aiming to grab the listener’s attention with a compelling fact, question, or surprising statement. Clarity and conciseness are fundamental.
Delivering your pitch verbally involves tone, cadence, and perhaps appearance if you present it in person. A confident, professional, and authentic manner, good pace, and clear enunciation ensure a relevant and conversational pitch. Practice is essential to make it sound effortless and natural.
Building credibility and confidence with the listener, highlighting your unique selling proposition, using stories and examples, and explaining relevance and benefits are key components of an effective elevator pitch. In building a relationship, you want to KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST someone you want to hire or engage with as a client.
In conclusion, elevator pitches are potent tools for creating memorable first impressions and effectively conveying your value. Using the tips and strategies in this article, you can craft your own compelling and memorable elevator pitch that resonates with your audience and opens doors to opportunities.
So, go ahead and make those elevator rides count for your verbal pitch and also seek to make an impression with your LinkedIn headline pitch.
You can use different formulas to Perfect Your (Verbal) Elevator Pitch, so see what resonates. Just make sure you practice so it sounds natural!
NEXT STEPS
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AUTHOR BIO
Lynne M. Williams is the Executive Director of the Great Careers Groups, a volunteer-run 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides career development and networking connections for 1) job seekers in career transition, including veterans, and 2) employed and self-employed for career management.
Aside from writing keyword-focused content for ATS resumes and LinkedIn profiles, Lynne is currently writing her doctoral dissertation on LinkedIn for Job Seekers. She is a contributing author on “Applying to Positions” in Find Your Fit: A Practical Guide to Landing the Job You Love, along with the late Dick Bolles, the author of What Color is Your Parachute?, and is also a speaker on career topics.
This article is also published on: vista.today, montco.today, delco.today, bucksco.today, philadelphia.today and in the author’s LinkedIn newsletter. A list of articles can also be found in a Google doc.
